Road Test Edmonton: What to Expect on Test Day

The Class 5 road test Edmonton learners take runs about 45 minutes from start to finish. That time includes the examiner's instructions before you drive and the summary of your results after. Most of the stress comes from not knowing what happens when. This post sets out the day in order, using Alberta's Driver's Guide and alberta.ca.

Road test Edmonton: what to bring and where to go

Most road tests Edmonton learners book start and end at a registry agent office. Arrive early and settle before your slot. Pack these the night before:

• Your Class 7 licence.
• Your road test confirmation letter from the registry.
• The car's registration and insurance card.
• Payment for the test, if not paid already.

Two rules catch people out. All fines owed to the Government of Alberta must be paid before you can book. No passengers or pets are allowed on the test, so a parent or friend waits at the office.

What does the examiner check on the car?

Class 5 tests are given by licensed driver examiners on behalf of the Government of Alberta. The first job is the vehicle check. You sit in the driver's seat and help test the signal lights, brake lights, horn, brakes and steering. You will also describe and demonstrate two controls, such as the hazard lights and wipers. Learn where every switch is in the car you will use.

The car must have all of these in working order:

• a valid licence plate and insurance
• headlights, brake lights and signal lights
• a horn and a speedometer
• brakes and a park brake
• a clear windshield and working wipers
• tires in good condition
• working driver and passenger doors
• seats and seat belts
• an exhaust system and muffler
• mirrors
• enough fuel for the test

Before you move, the examiner explains the route and how directions will be given. The examiner will not trick you or ask for anything illegal. Ask any questions now, not once you are rolling.

What does the Class 5 road test assess?

The test checks whether you can drive safely without supervision while dealing with other road users. It covers these skills:

• handling the car: steering, braking and speed control
• choosing the correct lane for turns
• seeing and obeying speed zones, including school and playground zones
• giving right-of-way at intersections and when changing lanes
• handling intersections with and without signs or signals
• fitting in with other traffic without holding it up
• parking: perpendicular, uphill or downhill, and parallel

Only drivers over 65 skip the parallel park.

Points are given for each mistake. On a Class 5 test you fail if you collect more than 75 points. Alberta.ca gives examples: missed mirror or blind spot checks, a missed sign, a wrong turn, and signals given too soon or too late. Being too aggressive or too hesitant also costs points. They add up.

Why do people fail the road test?

Some actions fail the test no matter how few points you have. The Driver's Guide names these:

• going over the speed limit, or driving too fast for the conditions
• not stopping fully at a stop sign, or before a right turn on a red light
• not yielding right-of-way at an intersection or during a lane change
• holding up traffic by driving too slowly or stopping for no reason
• climbing the curb while parking, or failing to park legally in three tries
• not slowing down or looking properly at an uncontrolled intersection, where you yield to the right

Alberta.ca adds that endangering a pedestrian or another driver, driving unsafely or breaking a traffic law is an automatic fail. The examiner can also stop the test early if your safety or anyone else's is at risk. Alberta's example is a left turn across oncoming traffic with poor judgement of time and distance. Most of these come down to two habits, full stops and proper checks, so practise both until they are automatic.

What happens after the test?

Every road test Edmonton drivers take ends the same way. The examiner goes over what went well and where the points came from.

If you pass

You get a road test permit. The permit is not a licence. Take it and your Class 7 licence to a registry agent to move to Class 5-GDL. You then drive for two years as a Class 5-GDL driver.

If you do not pass

You get a copy of the checklist. Keep it and bring it to your next test, because it shows exactly what to work on. Book again through a registry agent and ask the office when you can rebook. Work on the exact items on your checklist first. That is where road test help pays off most.

What City Driving School offers

For test day nerves, we offer Car Use with Training, $150 plus 5% GST. An instructor meets you with the school car for an hour before your test. You run through the manoeuvres above, get calm feedback, then take the same car into the test. With a driving school road test car you do not need to bring your own. If you only need the car, Car Use for Road Test is $90 plus GST.

Want more practice first? The 6 Hour on Road Training is $360 in Zones A and B, $395 in Zone C, plus GST. Our instructors, men and women, are certified by Alberta Transportation. We have taught in Edmonton since 2009. Pickup and drop-off are free inside our service areas: Edmonton South, Downtown and North, Beaumont and Sherwood Park. Bring your Class 7 licence to every lesson, and book online in five steps.